myasperations 7-14-22

Heading to my post-op appointment shortly. Feeling a little better everyday, so am hoping the Othropeadic surgeon will allow me to return to work at least remotely for a few weeks. I have lots to get done before the next school year hits... which is right around the corner. Yikes!!  Thanks for your prayers this last month. Both my caregiver hubby, and I, appreciated that support so very much. 

This is my second entry for the Lift Challenge, which includes an unusual concept called “hitchhiking.” The current challenge is “Make a frame with inks and stamps on it, on it a white image…you do not have to use a flower, but of course the choice is yours.“ Since we are in the midst of summer weddings, I used a wonderful image from All Dressed Up and created the background with assorted ink pads and sponges, plus a few spritzes of rubbing alcohol from a small spray bottle.  A scattering of small stars were added with a sparkly silver gel pen, and a “stencil” made with a start punch provided an outline for adding stars with a white gel pen. I wanted to add a bit of antique beauty to the card, and a small piece of vintage lace from my sweet Mom’s stash is the perfect fit!

I'm entering my card into several challenges including ADU FB challenge: Holidays (the goal was to create a card to represent any holiday. Although a wedding might not classify, I personally feel that the annual celebration of that wedding, aka the Anniversary, fits the requirement. My sweet hubby and I celebrate our 45th Wedding Anniversary in a few months and we consider it to be as special as most of the "calendar holidays' in our lives!

Supplies: 

·   Digi- All Dressed Up Digital Stamp (Over the Moon)

·   Colored with assorted ink pads, Sakura Gelly Roll white & silver gel pens

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Sentiments- Computer Generated using my Word program and a font named Edwardian Script ITC.

·   White card stock, scraps of silver metallic card stock and antique lace, plus other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Lift Challenge- Elevator Challenge #171 (sponging within a frame and white image)

Incy Wincy Designs- Woof/Meow +/Or Love, Sweet Love

Simon Says Wednesday Challenge- Make You Own Background

Scribbles Designs Challenge- #110 Make it Monochrome

All Dressed Up FB Challenge- July Holidays                                  

I haven’t used a Ching-Chou Kuik digi for a while, and this one, named “hello Dragonfly” caught my eye. I opted for a pastel color scheme with lots of bling and the whimsical addition of vellum scraps create lovely translucent wings. So pretty!

Supplies: 

·   Digi- Ching Chou Kuik (Hello Dragonfly)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Elegant Gold Photo Corner

·   Inside Sentiment- Upcycled from an old greeting card

·   Sentiments- Computer Generated

·   Ornate Gold photo corners Stickers- Hobby Lobby

·   Center Of Flowers- Pearls (Buttercup)

·   Nuvo Drops in various colors, assorted Stickles plus other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Ching-Chou Kuik's Digital Stamps Inspiration & Challenge  (Anything Goes-July)

Ching-Chou Kuik's FB Challenge- [FB] (Anything Goes-July)  

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends- #185 Anything Goes

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #551-552 Anything Goes                   

Digi Chooseday Crafting Challenge- Week #27 Anything Goes  

In April, I stumbled upon a Build Your Stash Holiday Cardmakers group {BYSHC}, which was new to me. They also hosted the Spring into Christmas 2022 Linky Party, with some fine prizes. So… I entered a few cards through the week and was thrilled to win a prize from one of their blogspot sponsors, named “Fresh and Renewed with Teresa.” I loved that Teresa’s prize packets were jammed full with all kinds of treasures. My schedule has been super busy since that party, so it was fun to finally get a chance to use a few of the prize items to create an entry into BYSHC’s July monthly Sketch challenge.  (Since there are a few weeks left in this challenge, I hope to create more entries as this sketch was super easy to use!)

PS the BYSHC 2022 Christmas in July Linky Party runs from  July 22-29. For details, stop by the blog in the next few days.

Supplies: 

·   Snowman tag- from Teresa’s Prize package.

·   Sentiment tags (front and inside) from my scrapbook stash.

·   Patterned paper- from my stash.

·   Little Santa on inside of card upcycled from a thank you card.

·   Sheer black dotted Swiss ribbon- JoAnne’s

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

{BYSHC} Sketch Challenge FB- #24 July 2022  

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #602 AG (optional-For Man or Boy)

Di’s Digi Stamps- #602Christmas in July  

Christmas Craft Creations challenge- Patterned Papers 

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- July                        

 

myasperations 7-10-22

It’s Sunday afternoon, and two weeks ago I was getting ready for my hip-replacement surgery at ‘0 dark hundred hours on Monday June 27. Since then I’ve been dividing my time between resting/sleeping, doing PT/walking,  eating/coffee drinking, taking medications. Then starting the whole process over again! I have a follow-up with my surgeon later this week and should be transitioning from using my classy walker to a cane by then. My hope is that I can be released back to work, at least remotely in the near future. So, stay tuned.  

     I am honored to have served as a Guest Designer for Beccy Muir at Beccy’s Place and am now one of her “Contributors” (which means that she provides me with digis or clear stamp sets several times a year and I get to create cards or other items with them!) It is always fun to see the images Beccy invites me to use.  This time, the digi and sentiments are all from a just released set named “Hey Girl.”

     I love that Beccy names each of her characters, who usually each possess their own unique personalities. I decided that Trudy, with her fun snarky nature, needed to play center stage. So she gets her very own easel card!

Supplies: 

·   Easel Card- Instructions found HERE  (But I started with a vertical card base to add the height needed for Trudy!)

·   Digi and sentiments- Beccy’s Place Digi Stamp Set (Howdy Girl) Also available in cling-mounted

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Puffy Heart Stickers- Sticko’s from WalMart (113 assorted puffy hearts for just 99 cents!)

·   Patterned paper and other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Incy Wincy Designs- Woof/Meow +/Or Love, Sweet Love

Lil Patch of Crafty Friends- #185 Anything Goes

The Paper Shelter- #519 Going Digital  

Allsorts Challenge- Week 684: Animals   

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- July                        

The new monthly Challenges at wecraftcards has a Christmas In July theme.  And our challenge host, Barry, added the following parameters. "First- we must create a Holiday card that must include Peppermint stripes, plus FOUR other items of our choice in honor of the 4th of July. And the card base is considered a 'freebie'. Here are my five requirements: 1) The peppermint stripes on the All Dressed Up digi girls stocking. 2-3) patterned papers-red&pink, B&W, 4-5) embellishments- ribbon/bow, plus gold stars." (Note- I love how artist Wendy Burns adds so many details to her digis. Her hand-knitted sweaters are some of my favorite items to color!)  

I’m entering this card into several other challenges including Passion for Markers Challenge: Bingo Board (diagonal from upper left- patterned paper, image and ribbon.)  

Supplies: 

·   Digi- All Dressed Up Digital Stamp (Christmas Couple)

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Front Sentiment- “Santa is Coming” freebie-skogstokiga.blogspot.com (no longer available)

·   Inside Sentiment- Upcycled from an old card

·   White card stock, scraps of white satin ribbon, metallic star stickers, and other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Wecraftcards- Christmas in July

Passion for Markers Challenge- Week #648-Bingo Board

Word Art Wednesday Challenge- #551-552 Anything Goes                   

Di’s Digi Stamps- #602Christmas in July  

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #602 AG

All Dressed Up- #129 Anything Goes (June)

All Dressed Up FB Challenge- July Holidays                                 

The Double D’s Challenge has been a favorite of mine for several years… and I was excited when I saw the inspiration photo for Diane and Darlene’s new theme- Creatures Under/In the Sea.  I used a wood-mount stamp that I’ve had in my stash since the late ‘90s. I was excited to discover a few years ago that the company still has a website and sells many of their amazing stamps, including this Large Hermit Crab, which I stamped onto a scrap of kraft brown cardstock. After adding some color, white highlights and fuss-cutting, the crab takes center stage on a little slice of beach scene upcycled from an old calendar,torn-edged scraps of cardstock, and even a bit of sandpaper (to add wonderful texture!)

Supplies: 

·   Crab Image- Biblical Impressions Rubber Stamp (Large Hermit Crab) Available in unmounted or cling-mounted

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Sentiments- Computer Generated

·   Upcycled calendar page, cardstock scraps, circle template and other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Double D’s Challenge- Creatures Under/In the Sea  

Digi Chooseday Crafting Challenge- Week #27 Anything Goes  

2craftycrittercrazies challenge- July 2022                                     

Paper Funday– #43 ATG (w/Opt. Day At the Beach)

Cute As A Button- JULY: CH #82 Anything Goes + (Option) Fun in the Sun

myasperations 7-2-22

Hello all, I just got an email from a dear friend asking if I was okay because my blog has been so quiet. I told her that I'd actually just opened my laptop for the first time this week to post a note to my blog. I'd had hip replacement surgery scheduled for the end of July, but the bone-on-bone pain was so high that the doc moved the date up when he had an earlier slot open. Several days post-surgery later and I'm still in quite a bit of pain, but at least I have the cutest-live in care provider EVAH. Neither of us has whined… at least not very much!

I’ll try to start posting more regularly when I have some energy… and foggy brain issues have dissipated!

Until then, prayers are appreciated!  

It’s a new month, so I had fun making a DT card for the challenge at QKR Stampede. Stop by the challenge, which is always “Anything Goes” and several prizes are awarded. Maybe you’ll be inspired to enter a card or two yourself?

Annual “Christmas in July” challenges are popping up all over the web, so I opted for a whimsical Christmas card using a fun digi and sentiment from QKR Stampede. I know that the string of lights isn’t plugged into any electrical source… but am thinking that Rudolph and Santa might have some Christmas magic of their own, aka Bluetooth?! Yea Haw!

Supplies: 

·  Digi- QKR Stampede (Roping Santa) Also available in unmounted or cling-mounted

·  Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers, Sakura Gelly Roll white & silver gel pens

·  Front Sentiment-Computer generated

·  Inside Sentiment- “Merry Christmas” QKR Stampede Digital Stamp (Barbed Wire) Also available in unmounted or cling-mounted

·  Cardstock, patterned papers, red gem (Rudolphs nose so bright!), standard office stapler, and other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

Crafty Hazelnut’s Christmas Challenge- #601 AG (optional-For Man or Boy)

Dare 2 Be Artzy–July Challenge: Christmas In July

Last year I created two vest cards (you can see them HERE and HERE) that are a few of my favorite ever shape cards! So when a recent wecraftcards challenge had a Western theme, I decided to make another vest card with a scrap of vinyl wallpaper that looks like hand-tooled leather.  I added silver brad “buttons”, flap pockets, and “stitching” (hand-sketched with a fine line marker.) The plaid kerchief was created with scraps of a paper napkin, and I love how it adds a bright shout of color to the card. A touch of red is also found on the inside sentiment.

Supplies: 

·   Vest pattern created by moi! (inspired by some Pinterest and web searching)

·   Front Sentiment- Computer Generated

·   Inside Sentiment- Papercrafts Magazine Freebie (no longer available)

·   Shirt color and bandana created using We Are Three papers (Howdy Cowboy)

·   Kraft cardstock, vinyl wallpaper, “button” brads, other items/supplies from my stash.

Entered into: 

wecraftcards Challenge- Movie Theme: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Colorful Options Monthly Challenge- July: Red, White and Blue      

Crafty Hazelnut’s Patterned Paper Challenge- July                        

The current challenge at wecraft cards has a baby theme so I pulled out my favorite hand-drawn BABY template and got busy. (PS I did provide a copy of my template here for you!)  The adorable elephant is from Bugaboo, which sadly is no longer in business.  I added a free sentiment, a pink vellum balloon and a puffy heart sticker.

Supplies: 

·   A2 sized Baby stencil- sketched by moi!

·   “Stitching” on Baby- hand drawn with pencil

·   Elephant Digi- Bugaboo Stamps (Company no longer in business).

·   Colored with Spectrum Noir Classique markers and Sakura Gelly Roll white gel pen

·   Front Sentiment “Welcome”- Papercrafts Magazine Freebie (no longer available)

·   Pink vellum, scrap of gold thread and all other items from my stash.

Entered into:  

wecraftcards Challenge- Movie Theme: Dirty Dancing (line “don’t put Baby in a corner.”)

Gem of a Challenge- Week #14 Anything Goes                              

Papercraft Challenges   Challenge #83 For the Girls

My final card was made for the Lift Challenge, which includes an unusual concept called “hitchhiking” which intrigues me. Here is how the site defines the concept- “Every three weeks, our team chooses a sample card from someone who inspires us and we recreate that card (with reference to the source of course). Because we want to try a certain technique, because it's different from what we do normally, or just because a card is so beautiful. We like to challenge ourselves. Of course, we give it our own twist by choosing different paper, different decorations etc., but basically, the map remains the same. That's hitchhiking in our eyes.”  The “map” for the current challenge is “Make a frame with inks and stamps on it, on it a white image…you do not have to use a flower, but of course the choice is yours. “The selected card inspired me to create a card featuring a scene from a coloring book named “Creative Haven A Garden of Quotes." I'd signed up for a weekly newsletter a while ago from Dover Publications and have appreciated that it regularly emails links to a half dozen coloring books and activity books, each offering 4-5 pages that are available for a short time as free downloads. This friendly scene was one of the pages available in a recent newsletter. After copying the image, I used my Word program to reduce it in size to fit an A2 card.

Supplies: 

·   Image from Dover Publishing-Creative Haven A Garden of Quotes Coloring Book (Sign up for the sampler newsletter to start getting your own treasures!]

·   Colored with assorted ink pads and sponges, Roll white & silver gel pens

·   Front Sentiment- fussy-cut and layered atop card front. Additional items from the digi were fussy-cut and layered with foam tape to add contrast and depth.

·   All other items from my stash.

Entered into: 

Lift Challenge- #171 Card Inspiration               

Allsorts Challenge- Week 683: Flora and Fauna   

Polkadoodles Challenge- Week #27 Anything Goes